Thursday, April 3, 2014

Style // Spring Shopping Scores

The warmer weather combined with the all the colorful new clothes lining store shelves along with the fun events of the summer months on the horizon is such an irresistible combination. I've picked up a few new things recently and thought I'd share my finds...

First up, Forever 21...I am not a huge Forever 21 fan any more like I was in my college days, but I do think that if you're in the mood to look, you can find some adorable pieces at great deals that are totally appropriate for any age. I thinks it's a great place to go at the beginning of a new season because you can pick up some more trendy pieces and try them out without having to make a huge financial investment. Here are a few of the things that I picked up on my recent trip...

It seems like the colored jean trend is still in full force this year, and nothing screams says spring like brightly colored pants! It seemed like mint was the hot color last year, but this year I've noticed a lot more pinks and purples being popular. When I spotted a pair of bright pink skinnies at Forever 21, I instantly grabbed them - after all pink is my favorite color (and blog namesake)! And when I saw they were only $9.80 (!), I knew I had to have them! The pair I got is full length and a little bit darker pink than the ones pictured (which are these) but I couldn't find them online. (I think the ones I got are more similar in style to these, just a different color) Check your local Forever 21 if you're in the market for a new pair this season, the price literally cannot be beat!

Drawstring Linen Shorts
I do not like spending a lot of money on shorts. Being we don't live in a super warm climate, you have a pretty limited time to wear them, plus, if we're going out in the summer, I'll typically choose a dress or jeans over shorts. However, I like to have a few pairs on hand for casual summer days and that's why when I saw these linen shorts for $8.80 at Forever 21. Eight dollars and 80 pennies. That's it. That's just nonsense. Granted they're probably not going to last forever (despite where I bought them - the name is ironic, ha) but that's ok. They're super comfy, I like the drawstring and the cuff on the bottom, and I think they'll be perfect with tees and tanks once the weather warms up. I actually ended up buying them in navy and also in red because I know I'll get a ton of use out of them this summer.

Nautical Striped Scarf
I am a sucker for anything striped and love love love scarves, so when I spotted this lightweight one at Forever 21, I knew I would get a ton of use out of it this spring and summer. It comes in a few other colors and they have tons of other adorable scarves right now as well!

First of all, I love boots and they are pretty much what I wear daily from September through the spring. However, buying nice boots can be a significant investment, and one that I'm typically hesitant about considering I don't want to shell out hundreds of dollars on a pair only to have them be out of style the following year. That's why I have been on the hunt for a pair of classic riding boots for awhile now, as I love that style and knew it would be something I could have for years. Anyway, I was at J.Crew this weekend perusing the sale section (which was all take an additional 40% off) and I happened to see that they had ONE pair of riding boots in my size. Now, whenever there is one thing left in my size, I kind of feel like it's fate and so of course I tried them on. I immediately loved how timeless they are and the leather is really high-quality. They were originally $328, but were marked down significantly...plus were an additional 40% off that sale price...PLUS I had a store credit from an item I returned over the holidays. Sold.

These boots are still available online, along with lots of other great sale items that are an additional 30% off through Sunday! However, you may want to check stores, because all sale was an additional 40% off here in Portland! (Not sure how much longer that lasts though!)

As I mentioned earlier this week, spring is a season that makes me want to focus on being active, so I'm always on the hunt for cute new workout gear to make that process a little more fun...

This is one of my favorite styles of top from Lululemon and last weekend, I bought it in this beautiful mint green color - I absolutely love it and it's perfect for spring! I actually bought it to match with a pair of crop pants I picked up on sale at Lululemon a few weeks prior; it looks like they're not available online anymore, but you can see what they look like in this blog post. They're called the Roll Out Crops and they match perfectly with this top (and yes, I realize I'm kind of a dork but I love wearing matching workout clothes). They are my favorite crop pants ever, the mint stripes are really cute and they definitely provide a lot of compression aka they suck everything in! Definitely check your local Lulu to see if they have any left, because mine were half off!

Another thing that I recently picked up at Lululemon that's no longer available online is this super cute black and white polka dot bag for my yoga mat that I posted on Instagram earlier this week. (I think it's called the Namaste Yoga Tote perhaps?) It has zipper compartments to hold my phone/keys/wallet, along with a mesh pouch on the side that's perfect for my water bottle/yoga towel. It's awesome for walking to class, so definitely check at your store to see if it's still available!

And because Lululemon is definitely a little spendy and I only shop there every once and awhile, I have another more budget-friendly workout find...

I have heard awesome things about Old Navy's line of workout clothes, but had never gotten around to trying anything out. I stopped in the other day on a whim, and seriously wanted to buy everything! All the clothes I tried on seemed to be pretty good quality and it was all so cute! They had tons of awesome bright colors for spring, and so I ended up getting this neon coral top. The style totally reminds me of Lululemon but for a fraction of the price! (ON always tons of different sales and promotions and when I was in the store, this top was only $15!)

What about you - have you had any luck shopping this spring? I'd love to hear what you're loving so far this season!

I love those lulu yoga tops- I was looking at those and was happy to see you posted a cheaper alternative. Thanks. …And I could NOT pull of hot pink skinny pants, I'm glad there are people that can though. :)

I must say that you have a wonderful choice. I too like vibrant colored clothes. I go for similar colors for my workout gear too. Have a couple of colorful work out leggings and tanks. Some of them are patterned ones and couple of them are plain. Bought many from Carbon38.com as like their collection a lot.